Iceland12
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Mitch Sherman: Minnesota Golden Gophers
It’s OK, everyone, you can say it with me. I still believe in the Gophers.
After back-to-back-to-back three-point wins over Group of 5 opponents, the Minnesota bandwagon is shedding weight at an alarming rate. And I know, it’s tempting to look at the offensively challenged Gophers, throw up your arms and walk away.
If you picked Minnesota to win the West, like me, don’t abandon it now. But here’s the thing: Jerry Kill’s team needs to win Saturday at Northwestern.
While the Wildcats have played above expectations and earned some equity with wins over Stanford and Duke, Minnesota can’t absorb a defeat to open Big Ten play and expect to remain in the conversation as a contender.
Not only is Minnesota’s margin for error smaller because of its loss to TCU and upcoming trip to Ohio State, but the bar was set higher to begin with for the Gophers.
As for the actual game Saturday, Minnesota has a chance to generate energy again. Another three-point win would do it. No style points are necessary. In fact, don’t expect much of anything pretty in this matchup between the Big Ten’s least productive scoring offenses.
I believe in the Gophers because of a stifling defense that has yet to hit its stride. Minnesota allows 4.96 yards per play in the first quarter of four games this year, ranking 57th nationally. In the fourth quarter, that figure drops to 3.87, 21st nationally.
Considering their slim margin of victory every week -- even the loss to TCU was just a six-point margin -- this stat tells me that the Gophers tighten on defense in pressure moments.
And as you know, we’re likely looking at a close game Saturday in Evanston. Add to the mix Minnesota’s edge in quarterback experience and mounting injuries at Northwestern, and I’m not ready to tum my back on these guys.
They’ll take any support available, because the Gophers need this win.
Josh Moyer: Northwestern Wildcats... Minnesota needs this win to reinforce the fact it's a contender this season; Northwestern needs this to show it's still a contender overall. It wasn't too long ago that Pat Fitzgerald was among the most coveted coaches in the nation, when he was mentioned in the same breath as the Texas and USC coaching jobs.
I know I wasn't the only one who wondered aloud whether Fitzgerald's best days were behind him. We didn't know if Northwestern's 10-3 record in 2012 was the exception -- or whether the 5-7 records in the following two seasons were. The more Northwestern wins, the more it eliminates those doubts
Don't get me wrong; this game is important for both teams. But, with what Northwestern's been through in the past, I just think a win demonstrates a lot more than any Minnesota win could. We've already bought into Minnesota, since all six of us picked it to win at least eight games this season. Only one of us -- Dan Murphy -- thought Northwestern would have a winning season.
A win doesn't change Minnesota's positive narrative. It would for Northwestern.
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/124581/take-two-minnesota-northwestern-means-more-to
It’s OK, everyone, you can say it with me. I still believe in the Gophers.
After back-to-back-to-back three-point wins over Group of 5 opponents, the Minnesota bandwagon is shedding weight at an alarming rate. And I know, it’s tempting to look at the offensively challenged Gophers, throw up your arms and walk away.
If you picked Minnesota to win the West, like me, don’t abandon it now. But here’s the thing: Jerry Kill’s team needs to win Saturday at Northwestern.
While the Wildcats have played above expectations and earned some equity with wins over Stanford and Duke, Minnesota can’t absorb a defeat to open Big Ten play and expect to remain in the conversation as a contender.
Not only is Minnesota’s margin for error smaller because of its loss to TCU and upcoming trip to Ohio State, but the bar was set higher to begin with for the Gophers.
As for the actual game Saturday, Minnesota has a chance to generate energy again. Another three-point win would do it. No style points are necessary. In fact, don’t expect much of anything pretty in this matchup between the Big Ten’s least productive scoring offenses.
I believe in the Gophers because of a stifling defense that has yet to hit its stride. Minnesota allows 4.96 yards per play in the first quarter of four games this year, ranking 57th nationally. In the fourth quarter, that figure drops to 3.87, 21st nationally.
Considering their slim margin of victory every week -- even the loss to TCU was just a six-point margin -- this stat tells me that the Gophers tighten on defense in pressure moments.
And as you know, we’re likely looking at a close game Saturday in Evanston. Add to the mix Minnesota’s edge in quarterback experience and mounting injuries at Northwestern, and I’m not ready to tum my back on these guys.
They’ll take any support available, because the Gophers need this win.
Josh Moyer: Northwestern Wildcats... Minnesota needs this win to reinforce the fact it's a contender this season; Northwestern needs this to show it's still a contender overall. It wasn't too long ago that Pat Fitzgerald was among the most coveted coaches in the nation, when he was mentioned in the same breath as the Texas and USC coaching jobs.
I know I wasn't the only one who wondered aloud whether Fitzgerald's best days were behind him. We didn't know if Northwestern's 10-3 record in 2012 was the exception -- or whether the 5-7 records in the following two seasons were. The more Northwestern wins, the more it eliminates those doubts
Don't get me wrong; this game is important for both teams. But, with what Northwestern's been through in the past, I just think a win demonstrates a lot more than any Minnesota win could. We've already bought into Minnesota, since all six of us picked it to win at least eight games this season. Only one of us -- Dan Murphy -- thought Northwestern would have a winning season.
A win doesn't change Minnesota's positive narrative. It would for Northwestern.
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/124581/take-two-minnesota-northwestern-means-more-to
